Between the Stars
by MasterJaina
Summary: At a crucial time, the Galactic Alliance receives word of terrorist activities on Bakura and sends Jaina, Jacen, and Tahiri to investigate. What they discover could tear apart all the Alliance has worked to build. JJ, Post-NJO, PG13 for violencelanguage
1. A Mission to Bakura

Author's Notes: Needless to say, I don't own Star Wars or any of the names (characters, planets, and whatnot). That all came from George Lucas. The setting of this takes places shortly after the end of the Yuuzhan Vong war.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Trained from an early age not to sleep late, Jagged Fel rose before dawn and before his alarm went off. He took a few minutes to do calisthenics before taking a quick shower and leaving his quarters. The Mon Calamarrian sky was just turning pink as he made his way through corridors to the officers' mess.  
  
There was no one else in the breakfast line when Jag got there. He counted only seven people sitting at tables around the large room. With an inward smile, he noted that five of these were his own Chiss pilots. They had received the same training he had when they were younger. The other two he also knew. They were sitting across from each other, not speaking as they picked at their trays.   
  
Grabbing a mug of caf, he walked over to them and sat down."Good morning," he said pleasantly, getting a dirty look from the female pilot.  
  
"How can you call a morning 'good' this early?" Jaina Solo demanded, a slight edge of annoyance to her voice.  
  
"Why do I think the colonel had a late night yesterday?" Kyp Durron asked teasingly.  
  
"I was filing reports until one o'clock." She glanced at her wrist chrono. "And it is now fifteen minutes to seven. I wasn't doing anything that you would call a 'late night,' seeing how your mind is in the gutter." She gingerly sniffed pale, lumpy contents of the bowl in front of her. "Why can't the military feed us something edible for once?"  
  
"Because that would make too much sense," Jag answered lightly, not really paying much attention to the conversation. He ate the slop without complaint; it wasn't the worst thing he'd ever had.  
  
"By the way, Jag," Jaina commented, "if you happen to see your uncle before eight, tell him that I'm going to kill him."  
  
"Why is that?" he asked with a frown.  
  
"It isn't nice to make people do reports until all hours and then expect them to be present at an eight o'clock briefing."  
  
"A briefing on what?"  
  
"How should I know? I haven't gone yet. Something stupid and meaningless, I'd be willing to bet."  
  
"Military operations are rarely stupid and meaningless."  
  
"You'd be surprised. I've seen some real flops in my day."  
  
"Your day? Jaina, you are all of twenty-two years old. I have been involved in this sort of thing far longer than you. Your day, as you call it, is nothing. I have seen few 'flops'."  
  
"The Chiss are too picky and particular to allow that." Jaina said this a little louder than she probably intended, causing a few of the nearby blue-skinned aliens to turn around and look at her. Barely looking up but still seeming to register the fact, she added so that they could here, "But in spite of that they really are a fine example of perfect military efficiency that we should all strive to achieve."  
  
"Nice cover, Sticks," Kyp said, chuckling quietly. "And I'm older than both of you, so cut it out. Neither of you have lived long enough to call something your day."  
  
Jaina only shrugged before gesturing at the steaming mug on Jag's tray. "Is that caf?" she asked, changing the subject.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Do you mind? I'll need any jolt I can get to stay awake during that meeting with the general."  
  
"Go ahead." Kyp raised an eyebrow slightly as Jaina reached over and took a sip. Even though a sort of kinship developed between most pilots, most didn't willingly share drinks. Jag gave Kyp a sharp look, almost daring him to say anything. The Jedi just shook his head and turned his attention back to his breakfast tray.  
  
Jaina looked at her chrono and sighed again. "I should probably go now."  
  
"You still have forty-five minutes," Kyp pointed out.  
  
"True, but if my hair looks half has bad as I think it does, I need to fix it. And probably change." As she stood, Jag saw she was right. Her flightsuit had a rumpled look that hinted she had slept in it and in a chair last night, and her hair, though pulled back into a braid, was unruly.  
  
As soon as she was out of earshot, Kyp focused a piercing gaze at Jag, causing the Chiss-trained pilot to shift uncomfortably in his seat. At last he said in a low growl, "Do you have something to say?"  
  
"You denied it last time I said it. But I'm still right."  
  
"Denied what?"  
  
"You know very well what I'm talking about. Surely you must realize that the rest of the galaxy isn't blind?"  
  
"Oh, shut up," Jag snarled, narrowing his eyes and standing. He grabbed his half-finished meal and stalked off to dispose of it. Kyp always seemed to know exactly which buttons to push to get on someone's nerves.  
  
**************************  
  
Jaina took a quick glance around the briefing room. There were only a handful of people here, including two other Jedi, her brother Jacen and Tahiri Veila. She sat down next to them at the long table. "Any idea as to what's going on, Jay?" Jacen asked her.  
  
"Not a clue. Probably something about needing heightened security with all of the Imperials coming for that whatever it is."  
  
"The Alliance meeting."  
  
"That's the one." Glancing at Tahiri's curious face, Jaina added, "Look, I haven't slept properly in about two weeks. I'm allowed to forget important things from time to time."  
  
"I didn't say anything," Tahiri said defensively.  
  
"But you were thinking it."  
  
"If I may have your attention please," Wedge interrupted from the front of the room. The Jedi fell silent. "There has been a threat made by a group of terrorists, planning to attack when the Imperial ambassadors arrive." Jaina gave Jacen an I-told-you-so kind of look. "Planetary security has already neutralized the threat. We have nothing to fear from this group anytime in the near future."  
  
"Excuse me, sir," Jaina said, "but then why are we here? If the threat is now non-existent, why does it concern us?"  
  
"I was getting to that. Intelligence has been doing a bit of research, and they have reached the conclusion that these terrorists are a force to be reckoned with. Instead of simply breaking up threats as they come, it has been suggested that we divert a certain amount of attention to dissolve the group permanently. Unfortunately, we cannot do that in a single stroke. We know one of their bases is on the planet of Bakura, but there are more that have not yet been found." Jaina was about to demand again to know why they were discussing it, but she was silenced when Jacen hit her lightly in the shoulder. "Intelligence has also learned of the existence of a computer file being held at that base. This file is supposed to contain locations of others as well as detailed plans of attack. We need to send someone in the retrieve that file in order to remove these terrorists from the picture. The team going in will consist of three people as well as a crew here on Mon Cal. This crew will be the only group to have knowledge of the file's existence, as secrecy is key to success. Any questions?"  
  
Jaina raised a hand. "Who were you planning to send in?"  
  
"Well, actually, I was hoping the three of you would be willing to go," Wedge answered, gesturing at the Jedi. Jaina looked at the other two. Jacen's face was carefully masked as he considered. Tahiri shrugged, obviously waiting for the other two to decide first. Glancing back at Wedge, Jaina nodded. "I serve the   
  
Alliance. I will go."  
  
Jacen's brotherly sense of protection must have gotten the best of him, for he also agreed. At last, Tahiri followed suit. "Very well," Wedge said. He slid three datacards down the table to them. "All of the details are in here."  
  
"When should we be ready to leave?" Jacen asked.  
  
"As soon as possible. In a perfect galaxy, tomorrow morning, but we all know that the galaxy isn't perfect."  
  
"No harm trying to make it so," Jaina murmured. Everyone looked at her. She sighed, not wanting to make a point out of the casual comment. "Isn't that what we were all doing the whole time we were fighting the Vong?" The slight edge to her voice prompted no one to respond to her. "Good," Wedge continued, drawing attention back away from the young pilot. "Tomorrow morning it is. I'll let you three go prepare while I finish the details of what must happen here during your absence."  
  
The three Jedi walked slowly down the corridor. "Bakura," Jaina murmured. "Last time I was there they tried to arrest me for breaking someone out of jail. It's on the edge of the known galaxy, also adjacent to the Unknown Regions."  
  
"Far from the center of things," Jacen said with a slow nod. "Secluded, out of the way, a likely place for terrorists."  
  
Jaina turned suddenly down a corridor to her left. "Aren't you going to the hanger?" Tahiri asked her.  
  
"No, I'm going to get some sleep." She stopped short at the mention of the hanger, which set off a bell in her head. "Do you have an X-wing?" she asked the younger girl. Tahiri shook her head. "Get one from Equipment Control. Sign it out with my name."  
  
"All right."  
  
Jaina walked slowly on alone, exhausted. She decided she would try and grab at least three more hours in the sack. That ought to hold her until nightfall.  
  
**************************************  
  
Morning came. The three young Jedi were in the hanger well before the sun rose, having swallowed down a quick breakfast in the empty mess. They could only carry so much gear in three snub fighters, but they didn't have a lot. Wedge, along with Han and Leia Solo, had come to bid them farewell. As far as Jacen knew, his parents were the only people other than those at the meeting who were aware of the mission. Throwing a sidelong glance at his sister, he wondered for a fleeting moment if Jaina had told Jag about it. Probably not, since the other pilot wasn't down here demanding that Jaina not be allowed to go so as to keep her safe.  
  
Han stepped in front of his two children and shook his head. "When are you two going to stop flying off to all corners of the galaxy trying to fix things? There are other people out there who can do that."  
  
"Dad, you can't protect us forever," Jaina said, a faint etching of the lopsided Solo-grin on her face.  
  
"Every bird must someday leave the nest and stretch his wings," Jacen added. His sister groaned and punched him lightly in the shoulder.  
  
"You kids take care of yourselves," their father told them solemnly, hugging them tightly.  
  
"Don't we always?" Jaina asked, the grin emerging the rest of the way. Leia also hugged them, telling them things along the same effect as their father had. "Mom?" Jaina said. "Can you do me a favor?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"If you see Jag, tell him I'm sorry I couldn't tell him goodbye, all right?"  
  
"I'll tell him." Jacen sighed, feeling pity for Jaina hit his heart. Due to the secrecy surrounding the mission, she wouldn't have been able to tell her friend goodbye. At that thought Jacen frowned, wondering just how much of a friend the Chiss officer had become for his twin. He wasn't one to listen to gossip, but he couldn't help but overhear some of things being said about her.  
  
General Antilles shook their hands and wished them luck. As they started to climb into their ships he called out, "One thing, Jaina."  
  
"Sir?"  
  
"Try not to take too long. We'll need you here for the Alliance meeting. People have started to gain quite a bit of respect for your accomplishments and will want to hear your opinions."  
  
"I'll try my best, sir." She gave a sharp salute and pulled herself into her cockpit, closing the canopy above her.  
  
Switching on his comm, Jacen half listened to Jaina as she walked Tahiri through the pre-flight checklist. The young Jedi hadn't had as much experience in starfighters as the other two had. At last, Jaina announced that all systems were green and called for take-off. The three ships rose into the air and left the hanger, Jaina in the lead.  
  
"I'm sending you guys coordinates for the hyperspace jump," Jaina's voice crackled over the comm.  
  
"Copy that, Jay," Jacen answered. The console before him blinked yellow, telling him the coordinates had been set into his navcomputer. "Jump point is in approximately thirty seconds. Prepare to jump on my mark," Jaina told them. Jacen and Tahiri clicked their microphones once in response. Turning to his left, he could see Tahiri clearly through the viewport. She gave him an enthusiastic thumbs-up, which he returned.  
  
"Jump in five, four, three, two, one, mark!" Jacen hit the hyperdrive a half-second after Jaina vanished from sight. As the starlines streaked past him, he settled back in his seat to meditate and wait for the arrival at Bakura. 


	2. You Can't Hide

Notes: I'm having trouble getting these files to load right, and therefore HTML doesn't work for a reason unknown to one as un-computer literate as I. Hence, _underscores_ mean italics.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Jag headed to his quarters after his morning meal. He had chosen to eat with the Chiss pilots, as he was still annoyed at Kyp and Jaina was nowhere to be found. He was a little puzzled at this. He hadn't seen her at all yesterday since she left for her meeting with Wedge. He shrugged off his concern, deciding that she probably was just catching up on lost sleep. Still, an entire day seemed an awfully long time to sleep.  
  
To put his mind off Jaina, he grabbed his tool kit and headed to the hanger to tinker with his Clawcraft's engines. He walked past several parked X-wings but stopped very suddenly. He slowly took a few steps back and looked to his right, at the spot where Jaina kept her ship.  
  
It was empty.  
  
He couldn't remember dropping the tool kit. All he knew was that he looked down suddenly and it was gone. He didn't notice until he was on the level of the city where Wedge Antilles's office was. In his rush, he paid little attention to the path in front of him, ignoring the angry shouts of beings roughly shoved out of the way. He was, however, forced to stop when he ran headlong into Kyp Durron.  
  
"For crying out loud, Jag! Where's the fire?"  
  
"Forget any 'fire.' Where is she?"  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Jaina! Where is Jaina?!"  
  
"I don't know." Kyp's tone was innocent, but a little too innocent. Jag reached out and grabbed the older man by the shoulders, shoving him against the wall. "Don't play dumb, Kyp. You're on the High Council. You people know everything that goes on in this place."  
  
"I told you." Kyp pulled himself away from Jag. "I don't know."  
  
"Yes, you do," Jag hissed at the retreating Jedi's back, but he didn't pursue him. Instead, the colonel continued his fast-paced walk to the general. He paid no attention to Tycho Celchu's indignant protests as he stormed into Wedge's inner office. The general was frowning over a pile of reports on his desk. He looked up as his nephew came in. Jag couldn't help but notice that his face became carefully clouded and unconcerned. "Can I help you Jag?"  
  
"Where is Jaina? The Twin Suns is still stationed here. Why would a squadron be here without their lead pilot?"  
  
"Lowbacca is quite capable of handling them until..." His voice faded.  
  
"So you admit you sent her somewhere. Where?"  
  
"Listen, Jag. I can't tell you. Otherwise I would, but that's confidential information."  
  
"Why did she go?"  
  
"Can't you hear me? All information concerning Jaina's current mission is confidential."  
  
"Damn." Jag fell back in a chair, knowing he had been defeated. Despite how much he wanted to know Jaina's whereabouts, he respected the military's need for confidentiality. "Can you at least tell me when she left?"  
  
"Early this morning."  
  
"How about when she'll get back?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"Did anyone go with her?"  
  
"Since I'm sure it would ease your mind and end your questioning, she is not alone, but before you ask..."  
  
"No, you can't tell me who is with her."  
  
"Exactly. You'll probably find out eventually, before they get back, but it won't be from me. I'm through making people swear themselves to secrecy about this. Relax, Jag. She isn't heading towards anything she can't handle. I have complete confidence in her abilities."  
  
"You promise she's perfectly safe?"  
  
"No. I can, however, promise she is reasonably safe. Nothing is going to happen to her. One thing I can say, it's a good thing you stormed in here. It saves me the trouble of going to find you. I'm putting you in charge of Twin Suns, sort of. Lowbacca is flying lead, but he answers directly to you."  
  
"Don't try to change the subject."  
  
"Jag, no matter how much you pester me I'm not going to tell you. Besides, you have more important things to worry about."  
  
"Such as what?"  
  
"The Alliance meeting."  
  
"That meeting doesn't involve me. I'm not a politician."  
  
"No, but I received word from Csilla yesterday afternoon." Jag jerked up straight at the mention of his home planet. "The Chiss are willing to send an ambassador to participate in the discussions. I believe I am correct in saying you would be a good contact between us and them."  
  
"Why is that? There are a number of Chiss pilots."  
  
"Two reasons. You outrank the others, and the ambassador is your father."  
  
"You're kidding."  
  
"Not in the least. He is supposed to arrive in eight days. And before you ask, your parents are well, as is your sister."  
  
Jag forced a small smile and said, "Thank you, sir." When Wedge turned back to his reports, Jag perceived the conversation was over and left. He leaned against the wall outside and let his smile fade. Pleased as he was to be seeing his father, he had tried to delay their meeting as long as he could. Jag was well aware that he hadn't reported in properly in a very long time, and he knew General Baron Soontir Fel would not be happy about that.  
  
***************************  
  
Tahiri stretched awkwardly within the small confines of her X-wing cockpit. It hadn't taken more than an hour or so for claustrophobia to set in. She had spent most of the past three days in a Force-trance, but she still felt like the closeness of the ship was suffocating her.  
  
A slight ping sounded from the console. Tahiri sighed in relief. _Finally I can stretch my legs!_ A crackling voice barely distinguishable as Jaina's came over the hyperspace comm, saying, "Everyone still there? The drop is in two minutes and twelve seconds."  
  
"The military really is overly efficient," the voice of Jacen joked. Through the Force, she could sense Jaina mentally rolling her eyes. Instead of responding with a snide remark, the pilot instead asked, "Tahiri?"  
  
"I read you, Jaina."  
  
"Good. Prepare for the drop."  
  
Tahiri watched the countdown idly, trying to stop her fingers from twitching impatiently over the controls. The last two minutes before the drop seemed painfully slow. She resisted the urge to curse at the clock, because she knew it wouldn't make things go any faster. At last, it reached zero.  
  
The starlines fell back into place, and Tahiri breathed a sigh of relief as the green orb of Bakura came into view. The three X-wings pointed their noses at the planet and moved closer, waiting to be hailed.  
  
"Unidentified craft, you are entering Bakura space," a voice broken slightly by static suddenly said.  
  
"Let me handle this," Jaina said over a private line. "Ground control, this is Colonel Solo of the Galactic Alliance military," she stated as she switched to the planetside frequency. After a series of questions about their intentions, none of which Jaina answered completely, they were given permission to land. "Thank you, ground control."  
  
Jaina's craft led the way to the coordinates supplied to them, Jacen and Tahiri following close behind. They proceeded to an empty hanger bay, the shield above it fizzing out of existence as they approached. Jaina and Jacen dropped their ships skillfully into place. Tahiri had a bit more trouble, but she landed without any major problems.  
  
"I spoke to General Antilles before we left," Jaina told them once they were all firmly on the ground. "He said he contacted the government authorities, and we should expect their full cooperation. We also have been given a suite at a hotel that should serve our purposes sufficiently. We'll need to find that and set up search equipment so that we can get to that base and get out before we attract a lot of attention."  
  
"Even if people notice we're here, will that matter?" Jacen asked dubiously.  
  
"Secrecy, dear brother, is the key," Jaina answered with a faint, sarcastic grin. "Come on. Let's get a lift."  
  
Finding a hovertaxi willing to carry the three of them plus the surveillance gear, stored carefully in nondescript black suitcases, was a bit of a challenge. It didn't help that Wedge hadn't been able to find out the address of the hotel. At last they found one driven by a talkative young Duro who looked barely older than Tahiri. The ten-minute ride was almost ear blistering, the three Jedi sitting in an uncomfortable silence while the Duro prattled on about nothing.  
  
Tahiri was grateful for the relative silence of the hotel lobby as they parted ways with their driver. Going straight to the front desk, Jaina used all of her military authority to get checked into their rooms without all of the usual questions. Tahiri had noticed tight security ever since they had been hailed from ground control and was glad to bypass some of the regular checks. Going into the turbolift and keying the thirty-seventh floor, Jaina smiled innocently at her brother and Tahiri and said, "Isn't it amazing what magic a military ID can work?"  
  
"Isn't that abusing power, Jaina?" Jacen chided.  
  
"No. That's what I'm supposed to do." Jacen didn't respond, just shook his head. Tahiri could tell he was somewhat critical of Jaina's methods, but he trusted her not to do anything that would get her in trouble.  
  
At last they reached their room and were relieved of their burdens. Tahiri hadn't known just how heavy the equipment truly was until then. She set them on the floor by a low coffee table and fell back onto a chair while Jaina quickly searched the room for bugging devices.  
  
*******************************  
  
Jag stared intently at the comm unit in front of him, as though waiting for it to make the first move. One hand hung in the space halfway between him and it, unmoving. This was the farthest he had gotten in three days. He was still unsure of what he would say to his parents, even unsure of whether he ought to contact them at all. The hand wavered, then fell back towards him. He exhaled sharply, still undecided.  
  
He looked around, almost hoping to see some sort of sign for guidance. His eyes fell upon a set of dice, no doubt left in his office from the time he had been late for a meeting with Jaina and Kyp. He had walked in on them impatiently rolling them back and forth. He stood, walked over, and picked up the one with six sides. "All right, you," he told it, "give me an even and I'll call them. Give me an odd and I won't. Got that?" He knew how ridiculous it would look if someone walked in and saw him talking to a die, but he didn't care. He rolled it across his desk.  
  
"Four. Bless you and curse you in the same breath." He hit a key on the comm before he could change his mind. "Get me a line to Csilla," he ordered the person on the other end.  
  
"Yes, sir." A few seconds later, a light indicated that the line had been patched through. "Csilla Military Communications. Who is this?"  
  
"Colonel Fel with Vanguard Squadron. I need to speak with General Baron Soontir Fel. I have the number for his home estate."  
  
"All right, sir. Please proceed." Jag punched in the code and waited. A teenage girl with blond hair materialized before him. "The general isn't here right now. You might try at his office."  
  
"What sort of way is that to greet your brother, Wyn?"  
  
"Jag, is that you?" she asked. She squinted, probably at the image of Jag that would be before her.  
  
"What, don't you recognize me?"  
  
"Your hair is longer," she answered with a shrug. It was true. He had let his hair grow out a bit in recent months, but he still kept it combed neatly in place. Wyn grinned. "The rebels have been a bad influence on you."  
  
"Possibly, but don't tell anyone. Because if you do, Wynssa Fel..." His voice dropped off so as to let her imagination take over the rest of the threat. She only shrugged. "So," he continued, "how are Mother and Father?"  
  
"All right, I guess. Still in one piece. Well, two pieces, one for each."  
  
"Wyn, you need to change the subject before you risk sounding half-witted."  
  
"Oh, shut up, you fair-haired..."  
  
"Who are you calling fair-haired, my blond sister?" For a few seconds she just spluttered angrily before relaxing. "A point for you, Jag. By the way, how is your girlfriend?"  
  
Jag managing to keep his jaw from going slack, but it was a close thing. "What are you talking about?" he demanded. She only smiled innocently. Jag studied her static-broken image in silence, confused. How could his younger sister, currently many lightyears away have the faintest inkling of his friendship with Jaina Solo? "Well?" she prompted after a moment of silence.  
  
"I don't have a girlfriend."  
  
"If you say so." In her tone it was evident that she didn't believe him.  
  
"I have an idea. Let's change the subject. Is Mother there?"  
  
"Jag," Wyn said, making a face, "that isn't changing the subject. That's saying you don't want to talk to your kid sister anymore. And no, she's not. You're stuck with me for the time being. Just out of curiosity, what suddenly possessed you to call after months without any reports or anything?"  
  
"General Antilles - er, Uncle Wedge - just told me that Father was going to be representing Csilla at the Alliance meeting on Mon Cal."  
  
"Yeah! Isn't it great? I've never been there before. I haven't been much of anywhere besides Csilla, and it's going to be so wonderful to be able to stand on a real beach, not some indoor, fake thing."  
  
"Wait. You're coming also?"  
  
"Of course. What, you think I would let Dad leave me behind if he was going there? I think you've been out in the sun too long. Mom's coming too. We're leaving tomorrow." There was a faint bleep from the comm. "What was that?" Wyn asked.  
  
"I can't keep this line open for more than a few seconds. Listen. Tell Mother and Father I said hello and that I can't wait to see them." After a short pause he added, "Love you, sis."  
  
"You too. See you in five days!" Wyn's image fizzled out of existence. Jag leaned back thoughtfully in his chair. Five days to decide between enthusiasm and dread at meeting Soontir Fel again and the lecture that would surely follow.  
  
***************************  
  
Jaina leaned against the back of her chair, sighing in slight frustration. This was their second day on the surface of Bakura, and the Force was obviously not with them. They hadn't found even the slightest hint that the terrorist base even existed. After declaring the rooms clear of bugs and microphones, Jaina had tapped a computer into the planetary security network. From there she hacked into confidential records and files. Technically, it was illegal, but she had orders proving she could break such laws. Even so, Jacen had given her a lecture that was almost painful to listen to.  
  
The young Jedi rubbed her eyes gently. They were crossing from the hours spent staring at the screen before her. Across the room, Tahiri was doing a similar search through prison records. Jacen was taking a rest. Standing, Jaina went to the kitchenette in search of a drink, preferably one with alcohol, but all she could find was water. A glass in hand, she returned to her post and resigned herself to several more hours of searching before she could sleep again.  
  
"Jaina?" Tahiri called out questioningly. "I think I may have found something." Suddenly, Jaina was completely awake. In three strides she was across the room and leaning behind the younger woman. "This person was mentioned in the data Wedge gave us. And look; here are three more."  
  
"How recent are these?"  
  
"Not very old. Three months. Two of them are already out."  
  
"Tahiri, I think you've found the jackpot. I'm going to go check something." She sat down in front of her own computer and mentally swatted away the slight pant of conscience she felt. Even as she keyed into the government files, she knew that no military power she might have authorized her to do this. Calling up a picture of one of the terrorists, she initiated a search for similar images in the security cameras and high-power satellites.  
  
The search got several hits, but one of them seemed to stand out. It had been recorded about four hours earlier. Jaina let it play and watched carefully. The man stood in the same spot for several moments, eyes shifting around nervously and a strange bundle under is arm. At length he entered a building. Jaina froze the image and zoomed in on a sign by the door. It was a cantina. She scribbled down the name of it and its address for future reference, and then she let the video continue at high speed. Several more equally suspicious beings entered. Then, about an hour ago, all of them left in a big group.  
  
"Jaina!" Tahiri called out again. "Here's something new! A bomb was set off in a plaza ten miles south of here about five minutes ago. Does that mean anything?"  
  
"It does. Go wake Jacen." She stared at the image of the cantina. "I've got you now." 


	3. Infiltration

A/N: Once again, italics are shown by _underscores_.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Jacen watched his sister carefully as the walked to the cantina, but her face was carefully guarded behind her best sabaac face. She hadn't responded when he asked how she had managed to discover the cantina, leading him to think she had done something very illegal to find it. He had questioned Tahiri when Jaina wasn't looking, but the younger girl didn't seem to know what his sister had done. At one point during the walk - they had elected not to take another breakneck taxi ride - he had gently nudged Jaina's mind with the Force, but her only response was a mental sort of "Trust me. You're happier not knowing." It wasn't that he didn't trust Jaina. He just knew that she was always a little lax in following rules. That wasn't a good trait for most military officers to have.  
  
"Here it is," Jaina said, gesturing to a seedy bar. Jacen involuntarily wrinkled his nose as he passed through the door and into the almost over-powering scent of alcohol. Why anyone would think to run a terrorist organization from here he couldn't even start to understand. He scanned the room with the Force, sensing half-conscious intoxication from almost everyone present. Every here and there he found a mind that was still sharp, but they were a definite minority.  
  
Jaina elbowed him. "Look over there at that sabaac game," she murmured, nodding towards a table. "See that very large man with the gray hair? He's one of the ones who 'accidentally' led us here."  
  
"One of them?"  
  
"Yeah. Listen. Don't question anyone directly, but see if you can find anything out. I'm going in." She took a step towards the table, but Jacen stopped her with a hand on her arm. "In case you haven't forgotten, sis, you're not here to gamble."  
  
"I'm not," she snapped. "I'm following a lead."  
  
"In a card game?"  
  
"A card game against a man who has consumed quite a bit of whiskey, by the looks of those glasses next to him."  
  
"What do you have in mind?"  
  
"Just leave that to me. Come get me if you find anything a little more reliable than this." With that, she shook him off and walked over to the table. Jacen sighed. "Let's split," he murmured to Tahiri. They parted ways and mingled in with the drunken crowd.  
  
Jacen wound his way towards the bar and ordered the least potent drink he could. He opened his senses again to the rest of the cantina. He was jerked out of this state when someone leaned against the bar next to him. "Buy me a drink?" the young woman asked.  
  
"Don't push your luck." He glanced at her. For a moment he felt pity for her. She didn't look more than seventeen and had apparently already thrown her fate to the winds. "Are you in business for yourself or do you work for the club?" he asked sharply on a reflex.  
  
"Does it matter?"  
  
"No, but either way leave me alone." A mental Force push clouded her mind long enough for him to slip away again, shaking his head. He looked around for Tahiri, but she was lost in the swirl of people. He hoped she was having more luck than he.  
  
*******************  
  
Tahiri Veila carefully studied the Twi'lek leaning against the wall, searching his mind carefully. At length she stepped forward and attempted to engage him in conversation. "Did you hear about that explosion earlier? I saw holos. A fine piece of work, it was." All she got in response was a loud belch. He didn't even seem to notice her existence.  
  
She heaved a sigh in frustration and forced her way back into the crowd. Once she turned around, she didn't see the Twi'lek suddenly seem to regain his awareness of the world around him. He watched the retreating Jedi for a moment before roughly shoving his way towards a door at the back of the room.  
  
The girl reached out with the Force and found Jacen. She slowly but surely navigated over to him. "Anything?" she asked.  
  
"Nothing aside from being hit on by a cheap hooker."  
  
"How's Jaina doing?"  
  
"I think she's winning."  
  
*********************  
  
Jaina pushed through the patrons towards the table, falling into a Corellian swagger and attitude. Pausing by an empty chair, she tapped the false-wooden surface with one finger. "Got room to deal in one more?" she asked, allowing the accent of her father's homeworld to sink into her voice. She sent a flirtatious smile at the men around the table. For a moment they just stared at her, and she knew why. The Jedi had abandoned her usual flightsuit and opted for a thin-strapped shirt, light jacket, and low-riding pants, all in black and leaving part of her flat stomach bare. If Han ever saw her dressed like this, if he even knew she owned clothes like this, he would not have hesitated to severely discipline her. Her hair hung loosely about her shoulders, and she twirled a strand impatiently around her fingers. "Well?" she prompted.  
  
"Um, yeah, of course," one of them stuttered, indicating the empty chair.  
  
"Thank you ever so much," she smiled as she sat. She was glad that, as the game continued, the other players turned their attention back to their cards. As the hands played, she carefully scanned the mind of each one in turn. She wasn't entirely paying attention to the game. Despite this, the pile of credit chips in front of her was growing.  
  
One by one, the other players left the table as they ran out of money until the only ones left were Jaina and the man she had seen in the holo. Jaina slid a pile of credits to the middle of the table and watched as a light sheen of sweat appeared on his forehead. _Crap! He can't meet the bet!_ His eyes darted nervously from side to side before he pulled a chip out of his pocket and held it up. "Six bottles of brandy."  
  
"How old?"  
  
"Twenty standard years. It was a good time for brandy."  
  
"All right. Show your hand." Jaina had to admit it was an excellent set of cards, but it wasn't good enough. With a smirk the Jedi leaned forward for the credit chips. "If you'll excuse me for a moment while I get change for these, I want to go collect that brandy."  
  
"Of course. Meet me over there by that door." He pointed to a door at the back of the building.  
  
*********************  
  
Jacen started when he suddenly saw Jaina at his elbow, stuffing a credit tab in her pocket. "How'd it go?" he asked.  
  
"Not bad. 2,571 credits, six bottles of twenty year-old brandy, and a ticket into the back room." Jacen frowned for a moment before understanding. "In other words, we're in?"  
  
"You got it. Come on. Where's Tahiri?"  
  
"She was here a minute ago." He reached out with the Force. "Sithspawn, she's already back there."  
  
"How'd she pull that off?" Jaina asked with a frown. "Well, we can catch up with her on the other side."  
  
*************************  
  
Tahiri was startled to find herself suddenly surrounded by four rather bulky beings. All were heavily armed and glaring at her. "Can I help you?" she asked, trying to sound calm.  
  
"Word has reached our ears that you've been poking your nose in the business of that bomb earlier today. We're here to tell you to knock it off." Tahiri nodded her understanding, though she didn't plan to stop asking around. One of them leaned closer, squinting at her. "However, we've learned not to trust little girls who just give their word that they'll shut up. You're coming with us." Two grabbed her arms from behind and, ignoring her protests, pulled her through the crowded cantina to the back of the room and through a door. It shut behind her and locked with a click.  
  
They shoved her into a chair in an empty room and left, ordering an armed guard to stay behind. Tahiri took a moment to compose herself before reaching out to probe the Rodian's mind with the Force. She was about to try and convince him to let her go when the door to the bar opened again. She jerked her head around and gasped in surprise to see Jacen and Jaina stroll in with the man from the sabaac game. Jacen gave her a severe look, telling her not to recognize them.  
  
"Now then," the card player was saying, "I'll just run along and get the brandy. If you will wait here a moment, miss?"  
  
"Certainly." Jaina turned to the Rodian and said, "You know, you really ought to go and help him."  
  
"Yes, I'll need help. You should come with me." The Rodian nodded and they left, completely oblivious to the Force mind trick Jaina had used on them. Jaina gave a mirthless smile and said, "It's sad that it's that easy." She gestured towards a second door and led them through.  
  
All three Jedi were open to the Force, spreading their awareness over first the corridor and then the rest of the base, carefully dissuading anyone coming in their general direction. Jacen pressed his ear against a door labeled "Maintenance." He heard and felt nothing. He opened it cautiously.  
  
The gloom eased back slightly when the three activated glowrods. The pale yellow luminescence fell on a computer terminal, turned on but inactive. Jacen waved his hand at it to Jaina. She nodded and proceeded to break into the base security systems. At one point she called for a datapad and downloaded the area schematics for future reference. She hit Jacen in the arm and pointed to the screen. "That's probably where we're going to find that file."  
  
"Wouldn't it be in here?" Tahiri asked.  
  
"Negative. They wouldn't keep something that important in a network. It's most likely saved on only one or two computers in the network system. Over there has the most security and has functions resembling those of a 'head office' or its equivalent."  
  
"How do we get there?"  
  
"All the way to the end of that corridor we were just in, then hang a left. Go past three side passages on the right and turn into the fourth one. It's the second door on the left."  
  
"All right then. Let's be off," Jacen said. "The sooner we get it, the sooner we can leave." 


	4. Under Fire

A/N: _Underscores_ mean italics, //two slashes// means "mind to mind" speech.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The Jedi reached the door of their destination with no problems. Using the Force, they managed to convince all possible threats to stay away from that particular corridor. Unfortunately, standing outside the door, they hit a snag. Jacen could feel the mind of the man behind that door. It was not a weak mind, and Jacen knew he would not be able to send him on his way. He motioned for Jaina and Tahiri to be completely silent and then reached out to Jaina in the Force.  
  
//Any ideas?//  
  
//Not really. We need to get him out of there, and I know that I'm not strong enough to do that.//  
  
//Neither am I.//  
  
//What if we made the battle meld like we did against the Vong? Tahiri and I could lend you strength.//  
  
//I don't think that will be enough.//  
  
//Perhaps it would be easier if he were distracted? One of us goes in as a diversion and you can make him suddenly decide to leave. Will that work?//  
  
//It might.//  
  
Tahiri tapped him on the shoulder and joined the conversation. //Jaina will be best for that.//  
  
//Why?// The pilot demanded. Tahiri rolled her eyes. //Look at yourself.// Jaina complied and let out an exasperated sigh. "Always leave it to the girl with the most skin showing, right?" she hissed out loud. "That wasn't exactly the sort of distraction I was referring to."  
  
//Still, that will be better than whatever you had in mind.// Jacen told her. //I'm guessing you were going to suggest running in there, lightsaber activated and a blaster in the other hand.// Jaina sighed quietly and ran a hand through her hair. She motioned for Jacen and Tahiri to stand in doorways where they could not be seen.  
  
Jacen reached out with the Force and felt the other two do the same. The three minds joined, lending each other power. Jacen heard the slight buzz as Jaina pressed the door button. He held his breath when he heard the door open.  
  
*********************  
  
Jaina forced a suggestive smile on her face. She was hating herself right now. The door opened to reveal a tall, skinny man with an intelligent face. He gave her a surprised look and said, "Aren't you usually supposed to stay up where the customers are?" _Oh help. He thinks I'm a 'business girl.'_ She only smiled innocently, trying to assume the image of the role he thought she was. "Well," he continued, "why don't you come in? After all, it's been a boring day."  
  
Jaina couldn't surpress a grimace of disgust, but thankfully it came when her back was to him. As she walked slowly into the office she was actively trying to maintain her connection with Jacen and Tahiri, but it was a very difficult thing to do. She felt a tremor through the Force and recognized it as Jacen searching the man's mind again. //Go ahead and pull out of the meld, Jaina. I can get him now.// Jaina didn't sigh in relief, but she wanted to.  
  
Suddenly, the man stepped in front of her and slid his arms around her, pulling her closer to him. _Get me out of here!_ she silently cried. Though she wasn't speaking into the mind of her brother, Jacen seemed to get the jist of what she was thinking. Jaina braced herself as the man tilted her face up and leaned down. Centimeters away, he stopped and pulled back, looking puzzled. He released her and glanced around the office confusedly. "There was something I forgot to do," he murmured. "I need to go down to the.....to the....mechanics area for a few minutes." And then he was out the door.  
  
Jacen and Tahiri came in a few seconds after to come face to face with a very angry Jaina Solo. Glaring daggers at Jacen, she snarled, "If you ever make me do that again, I swear I'm going to take you by the pants and shove you through a garbage disintigrator. Then I'm going to take whatever particles come out of that and burn them."  
  
"Calm down, Jaina. We're all in here and he's out, and that's the important thing."  
  
"Important, yes, but so is my need to retain my dignity."  
  
"Sis, he doesn't even know who you are. Just get the file."  
  
Still grumbling indignantly, the Jedi dropped into the chair before the computer and set about her task.  
  
****************************  
  
Tahiri could not express her relief in words when Jaina announced she had it. It had taken nearly two hours, and that was a long time for her to stay immersed in the Force while she and Jacen attempted to keep the room's previous occupant busy. For a moment after the two first pulled back into the world around them, a flicker of fatigue passed over Jacen's face, but he guarded it quickly. Jaina looked almost as tired as Tahiri felt. The colonel's eyes were watering from staring at the screen for so long, and she kept flexing her fingers in an attempt to get the circulation moving again.  
  
"Come on," Tahiri said. "Let's get out of here." Jaina stood with a faint smile, but it vanished suddenly. "What?" Tahiri asked.  
  
"I forgot about the brandy."  
  
"We have more important things than brandy to worry about," Jacen hissed as he pulled her out the door into the corridor.  
  
Into a corridor they had forgotten to mentally scan first.  
  
"Hey!" someone cried before they had taken more than three steps. "What were you doing in there?"  
  
//Run!// Jacen "shouted".  
  
The three Jedi tore down the corridor towards the cantina. A moment later, red lights began flashing and a warning siren was screeching. Ahead of them, a few confused beings stumbled out into the hall only to be leapt over by the fleeing Jedi. A blaster bolt burned into the wall beside Tahiri's head. Three lightsabers snapped to life and were waved backwards to deflect any more incoming shots.  
  
At last they reached the first room, only to be intercepted by the sabaac player. He started to reach for his blaster, but Tahiri's fist connected with and broke his nose before he could get it. They all shut down their blades and slapped open the door to the cantina. A number of shots followed them out and struck the overhead lights. Half of the room was plunged into darkness, made all the more disorienting by the screams of innocent patrons. They elbowed their way through the panicking crowd and escaped into the open street beyond. "Get to the hanger!" Jaina hissed as she led the way down the avenue. Behind them, terrorist operatives were still in pursuit.  
  
Tahiri was instantly grateful that Jaina had insisted they stow all of the equipment before venturing into the base. All they had to do was get in their ships and take off. The first step, getting in, went smoothly, but bolts started flying again before they could get out of the hanger. Jaina's voice crackled over the comm. "Get off the ground! I'll hold them!" Fire rained from her quad guns, taking down a number of enemies. That was all Tahiri had a chance to see before she was in the air with Jacen beside her.  
  
Once they had cleared the atmosphere, Tahiri tried vainly to twist in her cockpit to see if Jaina was following. "Watch your scope," Jacen told her. "We've got company." He was right. Seven blips appeared on the radar screen. As they came closer, Tahiri dove down into a wild evasive manuever. This wasn't how it was supposed to go, and the answer why was simple. Tahiri Veila was not and never would be a fighter pilot.  
  
Almost immediately, an opposing B-wing started following at her tail. She managed to dodge the first few shots, but she knew she couldn't do so for very long. All of a sudden, lasers tore through the B-wing's hull, and Tahiri recognized the familiar facial profile of Jaina in her cockpit. "You're all clear, Tahiri, so try and stay that way."  
  
Jaina rolled away. She was in her element. With a bit of help from Jacen and Tahiri, she had six of the seven down or disabled. She turned to make a last pass at the final one. Tahiri jerked her joystick around, just in time to see enemy fire rip through Jaina's sheilds and strike the right wing. Another blast hit the tail, and it looked like it had destroyed the sublight engines. "Jaina!" Jacen screamed over the comm.  
  
The only response that met their ears was static.  
  
************************  
  
Jaina's ship bucked and went into a wild spin when the first shot hit. She didn't hesitate a moment as she threw one of the engines at full power and the other to an almost standstill in an attempt to break free. But then the second shot collided, and she lost all control of the ship. She began transmitting a distress signal, but she quickly found out it wasn't going to work any time soon.  
  
Cappie let out a frenzied squeal. The monitor showed that Jaina was headed straight towards the planet. Through the corner of her eye she saw the last ship blossom into flames. Well, that was one good thing at least. Her passage was already rough, but it became even more so when she entered the atmosphere again. It was so bad her teeth started rattling.  
  
Jaina finally managed to pull out of the spin using the Force. What few sensors she still had were showing her an impact point, and it wasn't far. In a final, desperate attempt, Jaina managed to extend the landing struts and turned the repulsorlifts all the way up to help cushion the collision. It made some but not enough difference, so she employed the Force to slow the craft.  
  
Her teeth gritted, and she braced herself against the walls of her cockpit as she approached the impact point. The landing struts caught on a pile of boulders and snapped off like twigs. Jaina vaguely felt herself thrown forward into the console and the hatch despite the crash webbing strapped around her.  
  
After that, it was only darkness..................... 


	5. Fitful Dreams

_I remember that day well, though I was only nine years old at the time. My brothers and I had just built a droid. It was the greatest moment of my life so far as I watched it shudder to life before me. The adults had no idea this droid even existed, so they couldn't take it away or anything.  
  
Then the unthinkable happened. "I seem to have thrun. I am afraid I yam goinn-" it said before its overhead access door blew off and it collapsed. And suddenly, Uncle Luke was in the doorway. He had seen everything. I knew we were in trouble then. There was no point in lying to one of the greatest Jedi who ever lived, so we didn't try to. I was never fond of punishment.  
  
We were so innocent as children._  
  
**********************  
  
Jag tugged at the bottom of his coat to straighten it. Most officers would be very uncomfortable to be outside during the Mon Cal equatorial summer wearing a full dress uniform, but not Jag. Neither did Eprill look out of place, standing slightly behind his right elbow. She was the perfect example of a Chiss officer.  
  
There wasn't a large crowd gathered to greet the group arriving from the Unknown Regions, for security reasons. The landing pad had been painstakingly combed, and a number of light starfighters were patrolling the sky above. The Chiss party had been advised to bring an escort, and they had done more than that. A star destroyer was now in orbit around Mon Cal, and the shuttle approaching the pad was flanked by six Clawcrafts.  
  
Jag squared his shoulders and looked straight ahead as the shuttle came in for a landing. The ramp lowered and a number of armed guards came out before General Baron Soontir Fel stepped onto the landing pad. He was a very big man, large and imposing, with one eye covered by a black patch. His very presence demanded respect and attention, and he got it.  
  
The general walked forward and was followed by a tall blond woman and a teenage girl who looked very similar. Syal Fel, the woman, walked past her husband and embraced Wedge tightly. "It has been far too long, brother," she said with a smile.  
  
"Indeed it has, Syal. Soontir, it is good to see you again."  
  
"Perhaps," Jag's father said gruffly. He nodded towards Luke. "Master Skywalker." Luke gave a short but polite bow and greeted the general.  
  
After introducing herself to her uncle, Wyn walked over to Jag. She gave him a very un-Chiss grin. "So, Jagged, how have things been?"  
  
"All right, I suppose, as can be expected."  
  
"That's good. Well, I'm sure we have lots of catching up to do once the major isn't listening to every word I say even though she's pretending not to."  
  
"Miss Fel," Eprill interrupted, "I assure you I do not eavesdrop." Wyn rolled her eyes, earning a sharp look from Syal, who had just walked over. "Be polite, Wyn." The girl just shrugged. Syal reached over and hugged her son. Jag returned it before pulling away and saluting his father sharply. "At ease, Colonel," Soontir said. Jag fell back into a parade rest stance, but didn't relax. "There is something I need to discuss with you."  
  
"Yes, sir?"  
  
"During the time since you left Chiss space, your reports have been few and far between. When they actually come, they seem incomplete and lacking. I realize that the recent conflict against the Yuuzhan Vong invaders may have put a lot of stress on you." Jag bristled slightly at the war being called a "conflict." The way he said it made it seem like a small skirmish, not a hellish war. "Whatever your reasons, you are being forgiven for your recent shortcomings." Jag almost lost his calm composure to stare at his father in disbelief. This was not the verbal beating he had been expecting and preparing for. "But I ask one condition. The war is more or less over, so this sort of thing shouldn't happen again. I shall expect a report from you, Colonel, every two standard months, or else your squadron will be recalled and disbanded. And you will no doubt be placed in a low level administration post, and I know for a fact that you would not appreciate such an assignment."  
  
"That is true, sir. I apologize for my failure in reporting properly, and I will send in communications on a regular basis. I thank you for your forgiveness."  
  
Soontir suddenly smiled and clapped Jag on the shoulder. "Well now, let's all drop the facade. Let me say how glad I am to see you again, Jagged." He motioned to the guards. Wedge stepped forward and offered to direct them to their quarters. Jag dismissed Eprill and followed his parents.  
  
***************************  
  
_That same day as the accident with the droid, I got in a lot of trouble for something almost completely unrelated. Well, I guess that isn't entirely true. The conversation with my parents originated with a question from me about droids. During that time, I realized I was defeated. I didn't want to go down without a fight, so stupidly I muttered, "Maybe there'd be room for the droids if we didn't have to take the dumb old Falcon."  
  
I knew I had made a mistake. I wish now that I hadn't said it, but for a different reason than before. How could I be so idiotic as to insult the Falcon? That was one of the best ships I have ever flown in my entire life. But come to think of it, I had not yet flown it. It was on that trip to Corellia that Jacen and I first took the controls of the Falcon. My first time in the quad laser turrets, and I shot down a ship. I was so proud of myself._  
  
**************************  
  
Several hours later, Jag stood by his fighter with a hydrospanner, working to improve the precision of one of the lasers. Wyn, who declared she had nothing better to do, was sitting on a crate nearby. She was pestering him relentlessly with questions. Under normal circumstances, Jag would have told her to be silent and leave him alone but it felt too good to argue with her again. At first her questions were mindless and obviously had the purpose of annoying him, but then the conversation took a different turn. "What can you tell me about this Jaina Solo?" Jag looked up at her, startled, and saw the impish smile on her face.  
  
"Colonel Solo is one of the best pilots the Republic has at its disposal. She leads an elite squadron that has one of the highest in-battle success rates and one of the lowest casualty rates."  
  
"What about out of battle successes? Many of those?"  
  
Jag put down his hydrospanner. The question didn't really make sense to him, but he thought he knew the direction this was taking. "While not invincible in simulations, she is usually one of the last ones to be shot down."  
  
"Do you know much about the colonel when she's not in a cockpit?"  
  
"She devotes most of her time to planning and training her squadron. She is very dedicated to the Republic military."  
  
"How about her background? Family?"  
  
"Her father used to be a general; her mother used to be the Chief of State. She has a twin brother and was educated at the Jedi Academy on Yavin 4." There were a few seconds of silence. Doubtless, Wyn was trying to phrase her next question very carefully.  
  
"Do you get much contact with her?"  
  
"Our squadrons have flown together on several missions."  
  
"I mean outside of being on duty."  
  
"We discuss flight patterns and strategies from time to time." There was another pause. Jag was pleased with himself. So far he had said nothing that would act as evidence of the relationship Wyn was trying to get him to hint at. She opened her mouth to speak again, but she was interrupted by the sudden sound of engines entering the hanger. Jag looked up to see two X-wings enter and land. From this distance, he couldn't identify the pilots as they got out.  
  
As they drew closer, he realized they were Jacen and Tahiri. He looked out the hanger bay door to try and locate a third ship, but there was none. Jacen's face was grim. Jag walked over to intercept him. "Where's Jaina?" he demanded in a low voice so that Wyn couldn't hear.  
  
"Colonel, I'm sorry."  
  
"Sorry? Sorry for what?" Jag's voice was building and held an edge. "What happened?"  
  
"I - she - I don't know. She was hit, she went down, and then nothing. I didn't feel anything happen to her through the Force, but I can't find her."  
  
"What do you mean, you can't find her?"  
  
"In the Force. I can't find her in the Force. Jag, she's gone." Jag looked at him in horror, not wanting to believe what he said. He sank weakly onto a storage bin. "No. It's not possible. You're lying!"  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
"Sith, you already said that! She was the best damn pilot the Republic had! She doesn't just get shot down!"  
  
"There was nothing we could do."  
  
"To hell with you." An immense pain was growing in his chest. It felt like when his brother and sister had been killed, only different. This couldn't be happening. For the first time in his life, Jagged Fel thought he was going to lose his hold on his emotions and break out crying. He struggled not to; after all, his kid sister was watching. Jacen and Tahiri walked away, leaving him to himself. Jacen paused and murmured something to Wyn, but Jag couldn't hear what. An odd ringing had crept into his ears.  
  
He felt Wyn slide her arms around him comfortingly. For once, she didn't say anything, didn't give any snide remarks. She just stood there, and that was what Jag needed.  
  
***************************  
  
_Anakin! No! We've already lost so many, and I'm not going to lose you either! No no no! But you vanish in a flash of light, and the tunnel collapses around you. I'm can't leave you there, even in your passing. I have to go back for your body. The anger is burning in me, but I don't feel it. The hate is burning in me, but I don't feel that either. I can't feel anything. Just.....empty.  
  
Empty. Sith, I really can't feel anything! But this emptiness isn't the loss of one close to my heart. It's more the absence of everything. I'm trying to reach out for the Force, just to know that something is there in this endless void, but I can't touch it! Has it ceased to exist? It's not possible! What's going on?  
  
Am I dead?_  
  
**************************  
  
Luke didn't want to believe Jacen's words. Jaina couldn't possibly be dead. Her death would have sent shock waves through the Force. Jacen had argued that she may have shut herself off from the Force just before her passing, but Luke argued that there was no way to be sure. He argued that maybe she was doing that now. Jacen demanded a reason why, and Luke had to admit he could think of none.  
  
At first, the Jedi Master had been startled at Jacen's calm manner, but then he realized his nephew wasn't calm. He was numb. Jacen's mind barriers were completely broken down, and Luke could easily sense his unrestrained emotions. Anger. Despair. Sorrow beyond compare. After Jacen finished his story, Luke leaned over and murmured, "We will find her. We don't know for sure that she is gone."  
  
"I saw her go down." His voice was flat and empty. "I can't find her."  
  
"Jacen, no one could find you in the Force when the Vong captured you. It is still possible that she is out there. It would take far more than a crash to take down Jaina. After all, she's a Solo, right?"  
  
"Yeah..."  
  
"Remember. Fear, to anger, to hate, to suffering." With that thought, he left Jacen to himself.  
  
Out in the hall Luke leaned against the wall and reached out with his feelings. Try as he might, he indeed could not find Jaina's presence. "But that doesn't mean anything," he said out loud. Even though Jaina was not as strong as Anakin had been, she still had enough power to send a shockwave through the Force if she suddenly died.  
  
He went to find Mara. Before he even told anything, she said, "What's wrong?"  
  
"It's Jaina. Gather what Jedi you can find and have them gather in the large conference room C. I need to speak with them." His tone conveyed his urgency, and she didn't ask questions.  
  
************************  
  
_Jag. Even thinking your name makes all the evil things in this universe disappear for a moment. When we met again, I suddenly felt that I had a reason to live. Thinking of you makes me feel safe and protected. Why? Why should a simple thought, a word with three letters, make everything go away? Jag, I love you.  
  
If only I could be with you one last time to tell you that. I haven't said it in such a long time, and I don't want you to doubt it. All I want is to feel your arms around me and to taste your lips again. You've always been there for me. Why aren't you here now?  
  
I remember that first time on Borleias. I knew you were going to use words to tear me apart and break me down. The thought alone accomplished that for you. When you began talking, I didn't know what to do. You were demanding to know why I flew into danger and a field of almost certain death. What was I supposed to think? You were angry with me.  
  
I started crying like a child. I faintly remember saying something about people leaving and how I didn't want you to go, also. The next thing I knew you had pulled me to your chest and I was leaning against you. "I won't go anywhere," you said. I asked why. You didn't seem to understand my question. "Why won't you go anywhere?" I expanded.  
  
"Because I don't want to." Suddenly, you were kissing me. At that moment, I was lighter than air. We were somewhere up in clouds; we had left the base behind completely. I should have pulled away and slapped you for insolence. Besides, girls aren't supposed to be kissed out of the blue like that by pilots under their command. But I didn't. Instead, I wanted it to last forever. As time went on, I realized I loved you more than anything else in the galaxy._  
  
*************************  
  
Four days had passed. Saba watched with growing concern the state of those around her. Jacen had pulled away to himself. Han Solo went into a violent rage. Colonel Fel had sunk into a deep depression. At least he was able to hide it for the most part when he was on duty. The Twin Suns pilots had tried to ground their ships for the time being to honor their lost commander. Master Skywalker had gotten very angry at this, saying they didn't know she was gone. General Antilles was equally angry at having one of his best squadrons refuse to fly. The accident was a hard hit for him, too, but he insisted that Mon Cal couldn't afford to have them stay on the ground. Reluctantly, they went back on duty.  
  
Master Skywalker had arranged a group to scan the Force through meditation in an attempt to reach Jaina's mind. Immediately volunteering were Mara, Kyp, Jacen, and Tahiri. Saba had joined after a moment's thought. Her ability to sense life would be a useful asset.  
  
Saba sat on a low cushion, deep in the Force. She extended her senses out into the galaxy. It was a little hard to navigate mentally through space, but each time it got easier to find the burning sphere of life that was Bakura. There were many minds here to sort through, and it would be no short task. She recalled the definite "signature" of Jaina and set out to find it among the masses.  
  
After much time, she felt a flicker in the corner of her mind. It wasn't a feeling of recognition, just a random thought through the Force. Saba locked onto it before it had a chance to disappear from her awareness. She was momentarily confused by the state of the mind that had formed the thought. It was practically shut down, while at the same time being furiously active. Saba decided not to try to understand it, only to help it.  
  
She poured her strength through the Force bond that had formed. Gradually, the distant mind pulled it in and reestablished its hold on reality and the world around it. Suddenly, Saba got the sense of a "click." Then she understood. The person had been unconscious, probably in a coma, and with her help had just woken up.  
  
A voice came into the Jedi's mind. //Saba?// it asked uncertainly. The reptile knew she wouldn't be able to send a complete thought at this distance, so in its place she gave a series of images that would loosely translate to mean, "Yes. Now you are safe. We are coming."  
  
Very abruptly, Saba realized what had just happened. How else could the faraway person know who she was? She leapt to her feet and left the room at a fast walk to find Master Skywalker. She cried out to him, "Jaina's alive!" 


	6. An Awakening

Jaina blinked at the ceiling a few times, not sure whether or not she should move. The contact made by Saba moments before had been broken, but it still comforted Jaina immensely. There was a fierce pounding in her forehead, and it hurt to breathe too deeply. She levered herself up onto her elbows but fell back again with a slight moan of pain. She heard footsteps as someone walked over to her, but they didn't come within the range of her peripheral vision. "It's about time you came around. We were starting to worry about you." Jaina's ears weren't working properly, and she couldn't even distinguish if the voice was male or female.  
  
"Why does my head hurt so much?" she managed to groan.  
  
"You took a nasty bump. I think you must have hit the console. You're lucky to still be in one piece from that crash."  
  
"How long have I been out?"  
  
"Around a standard week." Jaina let out another groan. "I need to get back to my unit," she said with as much urgency as she could manage.  
  
"You won't be able to do that any time soon. You've got four broken ribs and a stress fracture in your arm."  
  
"I've flown in pieces before; I can do it again."  
  
"When you can't even sit up? No. Even if you got your ship running again, you'd pass out in space."  
  
"My ship! How bad is the damage?"  
  
"Well, I'm not much of a mechanic, but it doesn't look good."  
  
Jaina struggled to look at the person. He wasn't much older than she was, with light blond hair and brown eyes. "Who are you?" she asked.  
  
"Chev Kline. Any chance you'd be willing to tell who you are? We couldn't find any identification in your ship."  
  
Jaina was a little startled at this. Her ship was still painted a signature white with a running voxyn on either side. She was under the impression that its appearance was somewhat well known, but it didn't matter. "Colonel Jaina Solo. I'm a pilot with the Twin Suns Squadron."  
  
"I've heard of the Twin Suns. Weren't you in the defense of Borleias?"  
  
"Yeah. Just out of curiosity, did you find an astromech near my crash site?"  
  
"There was one nearby. It looked like it had been thrown clear by the collision. As I said, I'm not much of a mechanic, so I don't know if the damage is fixable. We brought it in anyway."  
  
"Who is this 'we' you keep referring to? You most certainly are not multiple people."  
  
"My parents and I."  
  
"Oh. Well, where did you put the droid?"  
  
"It's over there in the corner." Jaina glanced where he was pointing. It was a hard angle to cran her neck, but she immediately recognized the battered form of Cappie. She swung her feet off the bunk and tried to stand, but she fell to her knees with a painful gasp. "What do you think you're doing?" Chev demanded. "I told you, you have four ribs and an arm broken."  
  
"So?" Jaina wheezed, crawling across the room towards her beat up R2 unit. "Get me a tool box." Though his expression said he was certain she was insane, he acquiesced without further question.  
  
****************************  
  
"Colonel Fel!" Jag turned in annoyance when he heard his name. He was eager to get under way. As soon as Luke had heard about Saba's discovery, the Jedi Master organized a team to fly back to Bakura to get the downed pilot. Jag and Kyp were going in small fighters; Mara and Jacen were coming in the _Jade Shadow_. The last thing Jag wanted right now was another delay.  
  
"Yes, sir?" Jag asked, allowing a slight edge to creep into his voice as he faced his father.  
  
"I hope this doesn't mean you're planning to go on this pointless mission."  
  
"It's not pointless. Solo is a valuable pilot. And yes, I am going."  
  
"I forbid it."  
  
Jag drew himself up to his full height, now at eye level with Soontir. He met his father's glare with one of his own, one that was equally dangerous. When he spoke, his voice was low, cold, and threatening. "I am not a child. I am capable of making my own decisions, and I will except the consequences of my actions."  
  
"Might I remind you, Colonel, that you are still under Chiss order and that I have the power to deny you permission to go?"  
  
"I shall go anyway."  
  
"You will not. I won't allow you to go running off after a Solo."  
  
"I refuse to leave her there to die."  
  
"Don't try to play hero."  
  
"I'm not. I do not care about any recognition. All I want is to see this pilot safe again."  
  
"Why is that?" Jag hesitated at that question. A wrong answer here and this conversation would take the same direction as the last he had with Wyn.  
  
"Hey, Jag!" Kyp shouted across the hanger. "We need to get going. Are you coming or not?"  
  
His resolve hardened. He faced the general once again. "If I may pose a question? If you knew Mother was in trouble, would you abandon her?"  
  
"This has nothing to do with your mother."  
  
"I know. But think about that question, and then maybe you'll understand. If you have any heart you will." With that he pulled on his helmet. Once more an anonymous pilot, he turned away from the general and clambered into his waiting ship.  
  
Soontir made no move to stop him.  
  
**********************  
  
Chev watched on in interest as Jaina pieced together the damaged droid. It was only a matter of hours before the R2 unit tootled back to life again. During that time his parents returned. His mother had been a medic earlier in her life, and she proclaimed that Jaina would be as good as new in only a few weeks. The pilot growled angrily to herself at this declaration, insisting that she return to her unit within days lest they write her off as gone.  
  
The day after she woke up, Chev took her over to see the crash site. It took just a few minutes of poking around in the engine compartments and by the hyperdrive for her to give up. "There's no way I can fix that. Not here in the middle of nowhere. Even if I had all the right parts it would take months. I would have to do complete overhauls of every system, and it would be easier just to get a new ship."  
  
"Will you be able to send for a transport?"  
  
"I hope so. Do you have a long range comm unit?"  
  
"Not here, no. There's one in the city. It's a day's walk south of here."  
  
"A day's walk?! Don't you have a speeder or something?"  
  
"Sorry."  
  
"Sith, I can't walk that far with three broken ribs. There has to be another way." She looked around the room carefully, though Chev didn't know what for. She sat cross-legged on a short footstool. Her eyes fluttered shut, and she didn't respond at all when he called her name.  
  
About fifteen minutes later, from the next room over, Chev heard her stir. "What was that all about?" he asked curiously.  
  
"I'm a Jedi, right? They've already sent people to come find me." To this, Chev only shook his head in complete confusion.  
  
********************  
  
Mara was deep in meditation when she felt the brush in her mind. At the time, she was sitting in the lounge of the _Jade Shadow_. Jacen, Kyp, and Jag had docked their ships and were arguing over a card game across the room. The feeling Mara got was more of a string of images than actual words, but she got the jist of it.  
  
//Mara? Are you there?//  
  
//Jaina?! Where are you? Are you still on Bakura?//  
  
//Yes. My ship is down, and it's beyond repair. I am injured, but nothing too serious.//  
  
//Thank goodness for that. Did you reach out to Saba? She found your presence yesterday.//  
  
//Yeah, I felt her. Can you have Luke or General Antilles or someone send a transport for me? I'm a little stranded.//  
  
//We're a step ahead of you already. I'm in hyperspace right now with Kyp, Jacen, and Jag.// When she mentioned Jag, Mara caught a slight mental blush from her niece, not to her surprise. //We'll be there tomorrow. Is there any chance you know the coordinates where you are?//  
  
//Sorry. These people have almost made a conscious effort not to use technology. It's really getting on my nerves. Mara, I hit my head, and this conversation is really hurting.//  
  
//Okay, go. I'll see you when we get there.// And the connection was broken.  
  
Mara blinked a few times as the real world came back into focus. By this point, Jacen and Kyp had escalated the argument while Jag watched on, looking amused. All three jumped when she suddenly spoke aloud. "Jaina's hurt." They looked up, startled and not wanting to believe it. Jag's emotions rolled through the Force, despite his inability to use it, so hard that Mara had to pause. "She says it isn't serious, and that she's fine."  
  
"Fine?" Jacen demanded. "My sister is lying on Bakura in pieces and she's _fine_?"  
  
"That's what she said, kid. She'll be able to hang in there until we reach her."  
  
"You had better be right," Jag growled. 


	7. Where Are You?

Jag stood on the ground beside his clawcraft, glad to breathe fresh air again. Jacen walked over, stretching muscles stiff from the flight. "Seems like I was just here," he said lightly. Jag only gave a small grunt acknowledging that he heard. Jacen said nothing more, his attempt at levity failing utterly. He also remembered the last time he was on Bakura. While not really a near death experience, he didn't like that close of a brush with entechment.  
  
When the _Shadow_ landed, both men headed towards the entrance ramp and into the cockpit. Mara sat staring intently at the console, at the comm unit specifically. Somewhere beyond their sight, Kyp was performing a quick check to try and locate Jaina's downed craft. For a long time there was nothing, but then a burst of static met their ears. Jag growled impatiently before the sound cleared.  
  
"I think I've found her ship," Kyp's voice crackled. "There's a small settlement not too far away. I suggest we start there. Even if Jaina's not there, the people may know something about the crash."  
  
"How far away is it?" Mara asked.  
  
"Not very. About fifty kilometers from your current position. I'm sending the coordinates of her ship. I'm going to do a bit more scanning, so don't take too long."  
  
"We won't," Jag responded. He and Jacen were out of the ship at a run and into their own snubfighters. Mara's voice came over the comm. "Here are the coordinates from Kyp. The _Shadow_ is too big to just sit down in the middle of anywhere, and there don't appear to be any other spaceports over there. You two go ahead. I'll go on a speeder bike, but it will take me a bit longer. I'll catch up."  
  
"All right, Mara," Jacen said. "We'll see you shortly."  
  
*************************  
  
Chev leaned against a small boulder and watched the beautiful girl nearby. She was fiddling with a portable comm unit that she had salvaged from the ship a few hours before. She had been attempting to fix it well enough to get one of the Republic military channels, even though Chev was under the impression she had already found a way to contact them.  
  
During the few days she had been there, Chev managed to get her to talk quite a bit about herself, and he had to admit to himself that he was intrigued. He quickly stopped thinking of this young woman as Colonel Solo. After all, she never mentioned any husband or fiance. It was true that she might be slightly out of his league, being the daughter of the former Chief of State and all, but most of the galaxy's social structure had become disorganized after the recent war. She was witty, intelligent, and more beautiful than most women he knew.  
  
"What are you staring at?" she asked suddenly, a hint of irritation in her voice.  
  
"Nothing." He dropped his gaze, flushing slightly. She turned back to the machine before her on the grass. As soon as she was turned away from him, Chev went back to staring at her.  
  
Without warning, they heard the whine of an ion engine coming from the south. Jaina jerked her head around. She leapt to her feet, shielding her eyes from the sun. Then she dove for the comm and called into it, "Republic X-wing craft, do you copy? This is Colonel Solo. Repeat, do you copy? My ship is down and I require assistance." She repeated this several times, but there was no answer. She threw the unit to the ground with a surprisingly colorful oath.  
  
A few minutes later, the x-wing returned, flying low. Jaina jumped up and down, waving her arms and shouting, but the craft didn't stop. She gave the unit a solid kick before saying, "I give up. They're not going to stop if I keep at it like this. Let's go back." She picked up the comm, which now sported a large dent in one side.  
  
On their way back to the house, they passed the abandoned x-wing. Jaina gave the battered hull an affectionate pat, though Chev detected a faint hint of sadness in the gesture.  
  
As they passed through the clearing caused by the collision, Chev once again heard the sound of engines, though this time it seemed slightly different. "Twin ions," Jaina murmured, cocking her head to one side to listen.  
  
"What?"  
  
"TIE fighter. You can tell by that distinctive whine. But normal TIE fighters are usually a bit more screaming than that." At that moment, the ship came in sight. Before it was another - or perhaps the same - x-wing, but the other craft was unlike anything Chev had seen before. It did look slightly like the TIEs he had seen in holos, but not very much. "What was that?" he asked when the two ships had vanished above the trees.  
  
"Chiss clawcraft!" Her cheeks were flushed and she was grinning.  
  
"Chiss?! What are they doing here?"  
  
"Come on, Jag! Don't let me down!" she hissed, almost too softly for Jag to hear.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Nothing," she said, shaking her head. Chev expected her to continue on, but instead she climbed precariously onto what used to be the starboard wing of the ship and squinted as well as she could across the trees. They were tall, and surely couldn't give her a good view.  
  
To Chev's immense surprise, the ships came back, three of them. One came in slowly, only a few feet above the trees. Chev could see the figure within pointed off in the direction of the other two. He didn't quite understand, but Jaina obviously did. She hopped down and fell to her knees with a grunt of pain when she landed. "I forgot about that," she groaned. Chev helped her back to her feet. "That was my brother! We're supposed to go over there," she told him. "I think back to that open field where we were before."  
  
"Makeshift landing pad?"  
  
"Something like that. Come on."  
  
********************  
  
Jag's ship was barely on the ground before he leapt to the ground below. He struggled a bit with his helmet. Yes, he had seen Jaina from the sky, but he was still worried about her. Mara said she was injured. His anxiety made his gloved fingers clumsy. When he finally managed to jerk it off and look up, Jaina was running out of the trees. Well, running wasn't the best word for it. She was partially bent over, one arm clutched awkwardly over her lower ribcage. That wasn't a good sign.  
  
Jacen reached her first. He pulled his sister into a tight hug, but not too tight so as to hurt her further. The young Jedi could also tell she was in pain. Kyp clapped her boisterously on the back, hard enough that she winced and jerked away from him. Jag stepped forward and offered her a tight handshake. "Colonel Solo," he said in way of greeting. Jaina accepted the hand with a faint sigh of understanding. "Where's Mara?" she asked.  
  
"She was coming by on a speeder bike," Kyp said. "And it's a good thing. Your ship looks pretty much totaled."  
  
"It is."  
  
When Jacen and Kyp turned to introduce themselves to the young man following Jaina, Jag slid his arm around her shoulders and murmured in her ear, "I'm glad you're safe."  
  
"That's good to hear, but I suppose it's against the rules to show it?" Jag was a little stung by her tone, but he didn't have a chance to respond. He dropped his arm once the two Jedi started turning around. "And this is Colonel Fel of the Chiss fleet," Jacen was saying. Jag offered a short nod but said nothing.  
  
At that moment, they heard the speeder bike engine, and Mara came into view. She hugged Jaina tightly, earning a groan of, "Ow, Mara. That hurts!" Mara released her looking a bit sheepish. She looked over her niece carefully. "How badly are you injured? You didn't tell me any details before."  
  
"A few ribs and an arm. Nothing Tekli can't take care of. It's not that bad."  
  
"Thank goodness. I was worried."  
  
"Well, no point in standing around," Jacen interrupted. "General Antilles will want us to be back as soon as possible, so I suggest we hurry up and get out of here."  
  
"Okay," Jaina agreed.  
  
**********************  
  
Chev watched silently as the three men climbed back into their ships. Jaina walked towards the speeder bike. Halfway there, she turned around. She elbowed the red haired woman and said, "Can you hang on a second?" Without waiting for an answer, she came back over the Chev. She was silent a moment before she said, "I just want to tell you how truly grateful I am for all of your help. And tell that to your parents, too. If it hadn't been for you three, I don't think I would have been able to get out of the crash alive. I'm never going to forget what you did for me."  
  
And with that she spun on her heel and ran back to the older woman, who was tapping her foot impatiently. Chev felt a bit empty as he watched them disappear from sight. What had he been expecting? That she would refuse to leave? That she would kiss, or at least hug, him goodbye? "A silly notion, really," he growled to himself, but the thought didn't help.  
  
*************************  
  
En route to the landing pad, Jaina and Mara got a call from Kyp saying that they were already there and would meet them in orbit. Mara moved the bike into a higher gear so as to save time, and the fifty kilometer trip was over in almost exactly thirty-five minutes. Jaina had never been so glad to see the _Shadow_ in her entire life. She helped Mara stow the bike in the cargo hatch before going over to the entrance ramp.  
  
Out of nowhere, something struck Mara between the shoulder blades, throwing her to the ground. Jaina whipped around, lightsaber in hand in time to hear a voice scream out, "_Jeedai!_" 


	8. A Decision

Jaina whipped around, her lightsaber blazing forth violet glory, just in time to intercept a blow from an amphistaff. The Vong, who wore the armor of a warrior, snarled and leapt at her again. "Mara!" Jaina called. "Help!" The only answer she got was a semi-conscious groan. Jaina fell back a few steps from surprise and the strength of the opposing blows. She was driven to her knees before she finally managed to swing her leg around and catch the Vong in the backs of his legs. She jumped up to her feet, and staff and saber clashed again.  
  
Jaina dodged a hit and flipped neatly over her assailant's head, wanting to draw him away from her former master. She let him driver her back a few paces before she reverted back to the offensive. She attacked with more strength than she thought she had. "I didn't come all the way here and crash a ship just to have you strike me down!" she screamed, pronouncing each word as she slammed the purple blade against the amphistaff.  
  
The alien suddenly managed to shove her backwards. Her lightsaber flew out of her hand and clattered uselessly on the ground out of reach when she landed on her back. She saw the warrior raise his weapon and prepare to smash it down on her head.  
  
There was a sudden flash of light above her. The Vong stood there with his amphistaff still raised, a smoking hole punched through his chest armor. He stood gasping for a moment before crumpling to the ground, dead.  
  
Mara lowered her blaster and helped Jaina to her feet. The younger woman summoned her saber back to her hand and reattached it to her belt. "Never attack in anger," Mara said, imitating Luke.  
  
Jaina chuckled weakly, "I know, I know." She stretched her left shoulder gingerly. It ached from her fall. "Just like I know that's going to bruise." She and Mara started to walk back up the ramp when Jaina fell back to the ground again, gasping in pain. The pain she had already been dealing with seemed to vanish when the adrenaline started pumping through her veins, but it came back worse than ever. Jaina wrapped her arms around herself with a groan. She stayed doubled over until they reached the cockpit.  
  
The second the landing struts left the ground Jaina felt waves of relief wash over her. It only got better when they had left the atmosphere behind. "What took you so long?" Kyp asked in a static-filled voice.  
  
"Just a few problems with the takeoff," Mara said, sounding calm and as though nothing had happened, and Jaina was grateful for that. All three of the men in snubfighters would start protesting at once and demanding to know every single, stupid detail. Though she didn't doubt Kyp and Jacen knew Mara was lying, they didn't say anything about it. "Okay, we're going to go ahead and dock," Jacen said. "I don't fancy spending three days in hyperspace in this cockpit."  
  
**********************  
  
Several days had passed. A disheartened Chev Kline stared wistfully at the dejerak board in front of him. How could he have let her go like that? His opponent, an old childhood friend, hit the board sharply. "Hey, snap out of it. It's your move."  
  
"Sorry. I just can't stop thinking about her."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Jaina."  
  
"Chev, it's only been two days. She wasn't even here that long. You shouldn't be pining like this over her."  
  
"Kered, have you ever had that feeling where you just know something? You don't understand why, but you know it's true."  
  
"Occasionally, I suppose."  
  
"Well, this is one of those times. I know something was meant to happen for Jaina and me."  
  
"Meant to happen? Listen to yourself. If what you have told me is true, she is a respected military officer who can shoot a Vong with one arm tied behind her back, eyes closed, and standing on her head. And what are you? An artist with no money still living with his parents?"  
  
"I know, I know. It doesn't make any sense. I just --"  
  
"You just know it was meant to be, yeah, yeah." Kered sighed and leaned back in his chair. "While I may think you are overreacting, I don't like to see you this way. If she means that much to you, why don't you just go and find her?"  
  
"How am I supposed to do that? I don't know where she's from, and even if I did I would have no way to get there."  
  
"Hitch a ride to the city and find someone who will give you a lift. And as for where she is, I think you might find this interesting. I've been listening to the HoloNews, and apparently there is going to be some big political assembly on Mon Calamaari. Jaina works for the government, does she not? What better place for her to be than at the capitol and the assembly?"  
  
Chev was silent for a moment, his mind running furiously. He looked up at Kered. "Mon Calamaari, you say?"  
  
*********************  
  
Jaina Solo had returned safely. Wedge had not gotten the chance to go and talk to her in the medbay because of all the heightened security he still had to direct. The discussions were to begin tomorrow, and representatives were still arriving in hordes. He assumed Jaina was all right. He had overheard someone complaining about how they had lost a total of six hundred and forty-three credits to her in a sabaac game in the pilots lounge.  
  
He stood in a glass overpass and looked out at the landing field below. Several Imperial shuttles had just come down from a Super Star Destroyer in orbit. Even from this distance, Wedge could make out the form of Grand Admiral Palleon.  
  
He turned to Colonel Tycho Celchu who stood just behind him. "And so it begins," he said before looking out again. 


	9. Meet the Parents

If there was one thing Jaina disliked, it was a Vong worldship. If there were two things, the second was a diplomatic banquet. And this wasn't the only banquet she would have to suffer through during the negotiations. There was another scheduled at the completion of the event. If everything went according to her plans, she would be off planet by then.  
  
Jaina stood on a balcony overlooking the banquet hall. It was crowded with diplomats and politicians, people she had been trying for years to avoid. She tugged uncomfortably at her stiff, formal dress uniform. Her eyes darted from face to face until she recognized the countenance of Jag Fel. She was a little disappointed to see him down amongst the others; she had hoped to sidetrack him before he got there. After all, they had not had any time alone since before she left for Bakura.  
  
Well, she could always grab him on his way out, possibly make him buy her a drink at the officer's club.  
  
At the moment, Jag was deep in conversation with a Chiss Jaina didn't know. She sighed and glared meaningfully at him until he looked up. His eyes flicked down almost immediately, but he obviously got her unspoken message. After a few more words the Chiss walked away, leaving Jag standing alone. He looked back up at her and nodded ever so slightly towards the ornate staircase. Jaina obeyed.  
  
Jag offered her his arm when she reached him. She smiled only slightly, because Jag was behaving in his usual formal event manner. He greeted her with a stiff nod and a murmur of, "Colonel Solo. I'm sorry I haven't been able to come see you in the last few days, but I've been flying patrols almost every waking hour."  
  
"Yeah, those shifts are murder."  
  
"How have you been?"  
  
"Better. Nothing hurts as much as it used to."  
  
"That's good. When will they let you fly again?"  
  
"I'm going back on duty tomorrow morning. And it's about time. That new guy from Hapes they called in, Major Tsugaret, was placed as my second in command, and he is not ready to lead a squadron yet. I've been doing his paperwork for the past three days."  
  
Jag shook his head. "By this point, to be second in an elite squadron like the Twins, he ought to have at least led a normal unit."  
  
"You'd think. But then again, the Twins were my first command."  
  
"Yours was a special case, Great One." Jaina only rolled her eyes. She had given up the Yun-Harla facade when the Vong fell, but some of the people who were behind the trick still brought it up. "After all, times of war call for more desperate measures. As we are no longer under the constant threat of invasion, someone more competent ought to have been found."  
  
Jaina didn't really like her command to be referred to as a "desperate measure", so she decided to change the subject. "I wonder if you have heard anything about a file my brother, Tahiri, and I retrieved?"  
  
"Yes, General Antilles was telling me about it yesterday. Apparently, it came quite encrypted. The analysts have not yet finished with it yet, but he said they ought to know something by tomorrow."  
  
"That's good." They wandered over to the tables where the invited pilots were sitting. "They're really serious about all of this, aren't they?" Jaina said with a smile, gesturing to the cards at each place.  
  
"Should they not be? The future of your government could depend on these meetings." Jaina rolled her eyes at his statement. Jag nudged her and pointed at one of the tables. "Isn't that nice of them?" The two pilots had been located side by side.  
  
Jaina shrugged. "What can I say? I have friends in high places." They sat down.  
  
After a few minutes of idle conversation, they saw Wedge go up to a podium at the head of the room. Over the microphone, they could hear him clearing his throat awkwardly. "If you would all please find your seats, we can begin."

* * *

As the night wore on, Jag couldn't help but notice how little attention was being paid by the pilots around him. Most were staring into space, a few were talking quietly, and one was even asleep. Jaina herself was gazing at the speaker's with a sort of cloud over her eyes. The only time any of them showed the slightest interest was when food had finally been produced.  
  
That had been nearly two hours ago. Even Jag was starting to get bored. It was with great enthusiasm that the pilots woke up and applauded the last speaker. Finally they were dismissed.  
  
"I think they were trying to make it last long enough that the officers' club would be closed before the end," Jaina commented as the crowd slowly filed out of the banquet hall.  
  
"Actually it's still open for another half hour."  
  
"You're kidding! In that case, I'm going to drop a hint."  
  
"Fine, we'll go."  
  
Jaina grinned. "You catch on quick."  
  
Once they got out, Jag stopped in his tracks and swore under his breath. "No. I was hoping to avoid them tonight."  
  
"Who?"  
  
Jag nodded up the street. Soontir and Syal Fel were casually walking towards them. "Sith, there's nowhere to hide."  
  
Jaina laughed out loud. "How bad can they be?"  
  
Jag only shook his head. He had been putting off the meeting between his parents and Jaina for as long as he possibly could. He had no way of knowing how they would react to Jaina's less than savory reputation. But there was no time left to do anything about it. The Fels were upon them.  
  
Syal smiled warmly and held out her hand. "You must be Colonel Solo. I'm Syal Fel."  
  
Jaina smiled back and shook the proffered hand. "I'm pleased to meet you." She turned to Jag's father and saluted sharply. "General."  
  
Soontir returned it without expression. "Colonel."  
  
"We were just heading to the officers' club for a drink," Syal said. "Would you two mind joining us?"  
  
"I would be honored," Jaina answered. Jag knew that she had had enough drinks with generals throughout her life to consider it no such thing. All of Jag's hopes for this consisting of a few polite handshakes and no conversation were dashed into the ground.  
  
Still, this was inevitable.  
  
As they set off, Jag cleared his throat and headed the discussion into mindless banter about attack patterns. It was the only ground he could think of that couldn't turn into an argument.  
  
At the bar, Syal and Jaina did most of the talking, discussing Jaina's career. To Jag's relief, Soontir said nothing. Doubtless, he had a few choice opinions about the way she had handled her life as a pilot.  
  
As Jaina was relaying to Syal the mission that had gotten her promoted to full colonel, Soontir nudged Jag and pointed to an empty table. Jag followed his father over to it, mentally preparing himself for whatever criticisms the older man might have.  
  
To his utter surprise, none were given. Instead, Soontir just looked Jag in the eye and said, "I thought about what you said and had your sister give me her opinion. I know what this is all about." With that and a stern look, he walked out.  
  
Jag stared after him in surprise for a second before walking back to the bar. "Where did he go?" Syal asked with a frown.  
  
"I don't know. He just left."  
  
Syal shook her head. "I'd better be going, then. It really was nice to meet you, Jaina."  
  
After she left, only Jag and Jaina were left in the club. Jag ordered a mug of cheap beer and drained it. Jaina gave a low whistle. "I didn't know you could chug."  
  
Jag ignored that and said, "Come on. I'll walk you home."

* * *

As he said goodnight to Jaina outside her quarters, Jag realized something. He knew he would still have to deal with his father, but things had gone much better than he had ever expected. They weren't perfect, of course, but neither were they disastrous.  
  
What Jag didn't know, however, was that things were not going to get better any time soon.


	10. Two Impossibilities

Neither Jaina nor Jag had ever seen a lieutenant look so much like a scared nerf. He was stuttering so much that Jaina had to make him repeat the message. As he, quite literally, fled, Jaina couldn't help but laugh. "Poor kid. Had to deal with a general and two colonels all in one day."  
  
"Add two Jedi to that list. He still needs to go see your brother. I wonder what General Antilles needs us for?"  
  
"The file?"  
  
She was right.  
  
When they caught up with Wedge, he was in one of the electronics labs, watching the analysts. Jacen had beaten them there. "They've broken through the file's security, and now they're doing a search for base locations."  
  
"Sir?" one of them said. "I think I may have found something. A list of planets and coordinates."  
  
"Bases or targets?" Jag asked.  
  
"Give me a moment." He typed for a bit more. "Targets."  
  
"Damn!" Jaina cursed. "How many?"  
  
"Too many," Wedge grumbled. "Too many to secure."  
  
"I can't find any sort of time table for assaults, sir."  
  
"There has to be another way," Jaina snapped. She thought for a moment, which was a little hard to do quickly. She hadn't gotten home until after 0100 last night, and she'd had an early morning. "Look, if you behead a guy, he dies. Right?"  
  
Wedge gave her an odd look. "Well, yes, but how is that relevant?"  
  
"Jaina," Jacen said, shaking his head, "don't try to make bad metaphors. I think what she means is find the group's headquarters and take it out. The others will fall easily due to a sort of domino effect."  
  
Jaina nodded. "Exactly."  
  
Wedge turned back to the analysts. "Will one of you be able to locate such a headquarters?"  
  
Another one nodded. "It may take a bit of time, sir, but it won't be too hard."  
  
"How long?" Jaina asked.  
  
"Too hard to say. Anywhere from fifteen minutes to an hour. Could be longer; I think will have to break through a few more security layers."  
  
"Fine. Send someone to come get me when you crack it."  
  
"The same goes for me," Jag added.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the pilots' hanger where Jaina and Jag had recently been listening to a shaking lieutenant, a young man was looking awkwardly around. Chev was told by a captain that she would be in here, but she wasn't. It took him a few moments, but he worked up the courage to ask a man bearing the insignia of a major. "Excuse me," he said timidly. "Could you tell me where I might find Colonel Solo?"  
  
"Not here, that's for sure. I think she said she had a meeting with General Antilles. She left about ten minutes ago."  
  
"When will she be back?"  
  
"How the hell should I know? A CO doesn't report to her second in command, it's more the other way around. She'll get back when she gets back. Who are you anyway?"  
  
"Chev Kline."  
  
"Never heard of him. What group are you with? 'Cause Jaina doesn't like dealing with the press."  
  
"I'm not from the Holonet. I just need to talk to her."  
  
The major shrugged. "Fine. Whatever. But leave me alone."  
  
Chev nodded and mumbled, "Yes, of course."

* * *

Jaina walked over to Major Vao Tsugaret as soon as she got back to the hanger. "Did I miss anything interesting?"  
  
"Well, there's some skinny guy over there. Said he wanted to talk to you. Called himself Chev Kline." Jaina's eyebrows shot straight up. "I take it you know him?"  
  
"You might say that, yeah. I'll be right back."  
  
Jaina walked across the hanger to the young man standing by a pile of crates. "Well, I must admit I didn't expect to see you here," she said with a smile.  
  
"Well, I was on the planet and thought I'd drop by." Jaina was skeptical. Most people who didn't even own speeders didn't usually just drop by on random planets. He continued, "So, how have you been? Last time I saw you, you were in pretty rough shape."  
  
"I'm doing much better, thanks. Listen, I'm grateful for everything you did for me, really I am, and if there's anything I can do to help repay you, just let me know."  
  
"You don't need to do it. I'm glad to have helped you. Actually, I was wondering if you would like to go have a drink after you get off duty."  
  
Jaina smiled. "I'd like that." She was sure that if Jag found out he would not get angry; she'd had drinks with other people before. He had never minded in the past. "Unless things change, I'll be finished here at 1800."  
  
He gave her a blank stare. "1800?"  
  
"6:00," she clarified with a small laugh. "Sorry."  
  
"I guess I ought to figure out military time if I'm going to talk to people on a military base. Well, I'll meet you here then?"  
  
"That'll be fine. See you later."

* * *

Jag waited until Jaina was out of earshot before hissing, "Why the hell didn't you get rid of him, Tsugaret?"  
  
"I didn't see anything wrong with him being here. He's not doing any harm."  
  
"More harm than you might realize," Jag muttered, too low for the major to hear. He pretended to go sort through a container of worn-out hydrospanners so that he could be closer to Jaina and Chev. When Jaina accepted Chev's offer, Jag couldn't take it anymore. He stormed back over to Vao and demanded, "Exactly who does he think he is?"  
  
"I thought you frowned on eavesdropping. What did he say?"  
  
"That is absolutely none of your business."  
  
"I have a sneaking suspicion it's none of yours either."  
  
Jag opened his mouth to make a very uncharacteristic retort, but he stopped when he was the nervous lieutenant reenter the hanger. "Colonel Solo? Colonel Fel?" he stuttered. "General Antilles wants you again."  
  
Jag turned away from Vao and did not wait for Jaina to catch up with him. "I'll deal with that Bakuran urchin later," he muttered to himself.

* * *

Jacen sense something was wrong the second Jag stepped into the room, ahead of Jaina by a considerable amount. He glanced at his sister and nodded ever so slightly to Jag behind his back, but she only shrugged, as confused as he was.  
  
Wedge looked at them all gravely. "We've found the terrorists' base, and I have to admit it's somewhat of a shock."  
  
"Where?" Jaina asked. Wedge didn't say anything; he only gestured to the screen. Jaina took a few steps forward so that she could see it clearly. Her jaw fell. "Sithspit. You can't be serious." Jacen came up and read it over her shoulder, and he understood her reaction. They both turned and stared at Jag. "Jag," Jaina said slowly, "it's on Csilla."

* * *

Jag's mind went blank. After a few seconds of silence, he leaned towards the screen to read it for himself. They weren't lying. His ears filled with static. He could barely hear Wedge order someone to find Baron Fel. "Impossible," he finally managed. "We would know. There are absolutely no terrorists on Csilla."  
  
"That says otherwise," Jacen said.  
  
"The file must be fake."  
  
"Think about it, Jag," Jaina told him. "How would they know to plant a fake file? I didn't even know about the Bakura mission until the day before. The entire thing was under high security. And even if it were a fake, why of all places would they choose Csilla? And Csilla would be the perfect place."  
  
Jag glared at her, interpreting an insult to his homeworld. "And why is that?"  
  
"It's the last place anyone would look," Jacen answered.  
  
"What's all this about Csilla?" thundered a voice behind them. They all turned to see Soontir Fel looking very angry.  
  
"The main headquarters of a group of terrorists is there," Wedge said quietly.  
  
"There are no terrorists on Csilla," Soontir snapped, as adamant as his son.  
  
"It's absolutely preposterous," Jag added.  
  
"But the possibility is tangible enough that we have no choice but to investigate," Jacen argued.  
  
"I'll organize it," Wedge said, "but I'll need your help, Soontir. Now, this must not get out. The press would be all over it. We'll be able to have a briefing tomorrow morning. When you get back to the hanger, pretend as though nothing has happened. Dismissed."  
  
It was the first time in his life that Jag had run out when he was on duty, but he did not think he could take it if he had gone back. He was being completely overwhelmed by everything. Instead of returning to the hanger, he took the turbolift back to his quarters. He lay down on his cot to try and sort it all out.  
  
He must have fallen asleep, because the next thing he remembered was looking at the chrono and seeing that it was 1830. He got up and stuck his head out the door. Eprill was down the hall. Wanting to avoid awkward questions about his absence, Jag headed in the opposite direction and ran into Jaina. She started to say something, but Jag interrupted her. "Later. There are things I have to go do."  
  
If Jaina had only just returned, Chev could not have gotten far. Jag was acting on an impulse. He knew it, but he didn't care. His mind was only working on one track right now.  
  
He was right. Chev was down the next corridor. "Excuse me!" Jag called out. "Mr. Kline! Might I have a word with you?" Chev looked confused and a bit alarmed, but he nodded. Jag led him out of the barracks and to an empty locker room. He wasn't really sure what he was going to say, but he decided to keep following the impulse that had brought him this far. He seized Chev by the collar and pushed him against the wall. "Keep your damn paws off Jaina," he snarled.  
  
Maybe it was stored up anger that he had never had a chance to let out. Maybe it was his extreme dislike of Chev. Maybe it was the stress of the entire day finally crashing down on him. Jag didn't know.  
  
His fist snapped out before he could stop it. 


	11. Truth and Consequences

A/N: I realize it's been a long time since I've updated. I'm going to try and pick up the pace.

"You broke his nose?" Wedge shouted. "What the hell were you thinking?!"

"That man was a civilian, Colonel," Soontir growled. "No matter what he may have done to provoke you, what you did was completely inexcusable!"

"You're damn lucky I need you for the Csilla mission, otherwise you would have MPs on your tail so fast it would make your head spin! Never in all my time in the military have I ever heard of such unbecoming behavior from an officer of your rank! What sort of explanation could you possibly have?"

Jag looked between his father and his uncle. "I don't have one," he admitted.

"For crying out loud, Jag! Not even Solo would do something like this! Even someone as hotheaded as her would have more sense!" Wedge ranted. "I swear, the second you get back from this mission, your life is going to be a living hell."

"Why wait until then?" Soontir asked. "His ranking officer, Eprill, is quite capable of handling a squadron. Hand him over to the MPs now."

Jag lost what semblance of demeanor he had left and stared at his father. "You would not do that to me. I haven't seen Csilla in almost two years."

"And that is no one's fault but yours," snapped Soontir. Jag couldn't argue with that.

"No," Wedge said, "I'm going to send him. But I'm placing you under house arrest until you leave. Dismissed."

To the unknowing eye, Jag did not look like he had just attacked a civilian as he walked out of Wedge's office. In reality, however, he was very angry with himself, Kline, and Jaina. To be honest with himself, he was also confused. He could not justify his actions, but he knew that he would do the same thing all over again.

"Jag! Stop!"

Jag recognized Jaina's voice, but he did not stop. "Not now. It's late, I'm tired, and I want to go back to the barracks."

"Yes now."

"If you wish to lecture me, you missed your chance. I have already heard everything from General Antilles and my father."

The rage was apparent in Jaina's eyes as she said, "No, you aren't getting off that easily. Jag, if it hadn't been for him I would have died back on Bakura! I'm grateful to him for it! I'd have thought you would be, too. Unless this is all your way of saying you wish I had died?"

"Don't twist this to make me look like the bad guy."

"But you are! He never did anything to you!"

"You are as much to blame as I am."

"What?!"

"What do you mean by letting him buy you a drink?"

Jaina's expression turned to one of disbelief. "It was only a drink! If that bothered you, you should have said something to me instead of decking him!"

"I didn't think..."

"That much is obvious. That you attacked him isn't even what irks me the most. Why are you suddenly so possessive? You don't own me." Jag awkwardly avoided eye contact. Jaina propped her hands on her hips. "I know that General Antilles will send you on the Csilla mission, but I hope he sentences you to life in front of a firing squad."

"You can't mean that."

"I might." She turned on her heel and left him standing alone.

* * *

Despite efforts to keep the matter under wraps, rumors about what had happened were everywhere by the next morning. Jaina was just glad that her name had not yet been attached to any of them. Not surprisingly, Jag was nowhere to be found at breakfast. Jaina couldn't blame him for that. Upon setting foot inside, he would have been assaulted with questions from all sides by people trying to be the first to confirm the stories.

However, had that happened, Jaina would have felt no pity for him. Her blood was still boiling. The nerve of him! How dare he! He had acted as though she were nothing more than an object he had found and claimed for his own.

"Jaina!" It was Kyp. She ignored him and focused her attention on the shapeless sludge on her tray. Kyp sat next to her. "Jaina, what the hell happened?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes you do. Jaina, did Jag --" Kyp stared at her when she did not answer. "He did." Kyp's voice was breathless, disbelieving. Jaina turned to glare at him. "I don't know what you're talking about," she repeated, her voice firmer and carrying an edge. She took her tray and stood to go. Kyp followed her.

"Why did he do it?"

"He didn't do anything."

"I can't think of anything that would push a guy like Jag over the brink."

"That's because nothing can." She disposed of her tray and made a beeline out of the mess hall. _Why won't he leave me alone?_ she thought. "I have to go to a briefing."

"The Csilla mission? That briefing isn't for another half an hour." Jaina paid no attention to him. When she reached the deserted room, Kyp followed her in and grabbed her elbow. "Let go of me," she snapped.

"Jaina."

"You know how these people talk. For all I know, they're saying Yoda is back from the dead, but it doesn't make it true."

"I don't listen to rumors. I heard it from Kline." Jaina stopped struggling and stared at him. "He didn't say much. I know you know. Tell me what happened."

"I wasn't there. I don't know anything."

"You do."

"I told you to let go of me, Kyp!"

A throat cleared behind them. They jerked around to see Vao Tsugaret standing by the door. "I thought I'd come early and avoid the rush. Am I interrupting something?"

Jaina shot a sideways glare at Kyp and said, "No, he was just leaving." To Kyp she said, "It's bad enough that you stick your nose in other people's business, but don't come bothering me about it." The look that he gave her clearly said that he knew she was involved somehow. Fortunately, he didn't push any farther. He released her arm and walked out.

* * *

Jag's orders were clear, and so far he had followed them. He had gone straight to the briefing and straight back to his quarters. Helmet under his left arm, he was now trying to ignore the murmurings to either side of the corridor as he proceeded to the hanger. Word had obviously gotten out.

Jaina was giving the pilots last minute instructions by her x-wing. When he had heard that she was going to be in charge of both the Twin Suns and Vanguard Squadron on this mission, Jag had been more than a little annoyed. Then again, he was not surprised and could not exactly blame Wedge for his decision.

"Remember. Get in, find what we're looking for, and get out. Any questions?" The pilots shook their heads. "All right. Let's move out."

Jag felt a tap on his shoulder and was surprised to see Jacen standing behind him. "Jaina told me what happened," he said bluntly. Jag did not respond. "Just for the record, I'm glad there's someone around here who is willing to stick up for my sister and protect her even when she doesn't think she needs protecting."

Jag stared at him for a moment, not entirely believing what he was hearing. "So, you're glad I did what I did?"

"Not completely, but you had the right idea. I must admit that I had a similar reaction when I found out he was here. Not to say I wanted to go and punch him, but I didn't want her to go with him."

"It's nice to know at least one person is on my side."

"Give Jaina some time. She'll come around. Trust me. Look at it this way. What does Kline have that you don't have?"

"A broken nose?"

"Cute, but shut up and listen. Jaina just needs a bit of time to cool off, that's all. After a while she'll realize just how much she actually needs you."

"I hope you're right."

"I'm always right. I'm a Jedi, aren't I?"

"Arrogant." Jacen laughed and clapped him on the shoulder. "Just promise me that my sister will be obsessed with you by the time you guys get back. And in the mean time, try to relax a little. After all, you're going home." He left Jag standing alone under his clawcraft. Jag climbed up the ladder, reflecting on Jacen's words.

Jaina gave the order to take off, and they were away.

"Home," Jag murmured.

* * *

Reviews are appreciated!


End file.
